A Teacher's Letter to David Vitter

I originally sent this to David Vitter, after reading an e-mail from him condemning teachers for standing up against Act 54. I think all of our officials, as well as our citizens need to understand what Act 54 really does.

Senator Vitter,

As a Louisiana public school teacher who has also taught in the private sector, I completely agree with you that learning is not going on in classrooms. However, it is not because teachers are lobbying at the capitol.

Meaningful learning is not taking place in public school classrooms because of the "reform" that elected officials are imposing on our teachers and schools. Teachers are being forced to "teach to the test" in order to save their jobs and measure up to the high-stakes ranking system that will soon be in place, leaving all meaningful curriculum instruction in jeopardy. Teachers are required to push material that is stressed on standardized tests (and will continue to do so under the new common core plan,) without regard to the knowledge students really need.

Our public schools are also understaffed. Even small schools, such as the one at which I teach, are full of classrooms that are completely over-loaded. Good teachers are forced to teach outside of their certification areas, and are then punished for it by the State. Small classrooms built sixty years ago to hold twenty small, elementary –aged children now house twenty-five or more teenagers. We don’t even have room for our students, but we are supposed to also find space for completing project-based learning, hands-on use of technology, and group exercises. And when these twenty-five to thirty teenaged students become rowdy, teachers are admonished by the higher-ups for not keeping up with “good classroom management” practices.

Take into the account the teacher ranking that was published in New York City. Teachers were ranked from highest to lowest performing, and had their names printed in the New York Times, regardless of the fact that the study which determined rank was said to have as much as 53% margin of error! How many of you, our elected officials, would like the same study published regarding your job performance?

I agree that teachers, just like workers in any other profession, need to be held accountable. However, let's actually give teachers the tools needed to do their jobs before giving a grade. Teachers need a solid curriculum with accurate evaluation methods for every student. We need books, materials, technology, and real-world experiences to share with our students that will aid our lessons. We need co-workers, support teams, administration, and elected officials who are informed, stand FOR teachers, students, and learning, and not just "reform." We need professional development, suitable classroom facilities, and discipline, not high-stakes testing. We need financial stability for school systems, constructive criticism, and enough staff to make our class-size manageable, not vouchers that will send our students elsewhere.

The majority of Louisiana teachers care deeply for their students. Our government claims to care about them as well. When will our elected officials begin to truly care for teachers? At many times, it seems to be forgotten that without good teachers, you wouldn’t be where you are today.

Sincerely,
Tracy C.
 XXXXX Parish